The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-03
The Writ Denied.

The Writ Denied.
The refusal of the Supreme Court TO
grant a writ of error in the case Of the con-
denned Anarchists is not a surprise. The
impression of lawyers generally, and es-
pecially of those who We're present in the
Supreme Court room and heard the argu-
ments was that the writ would he denied.
The points made for the Anarchists were
J weak, and the lawyers who presented them
did not seem to have much confidence in
their case. On the other hand, the lawyers
who represented the State of Illinois we're
confident that no mistake had been made in
the proceedings in the State courts which
justified the highest court in the land to in
terfere with the verdict,
All that can be done in the courts for the
condemned men has haoss4itrne. They have
had every chance which the law offers
them TO escape the penalty of their crime
They have been defended by able lawyers,
and every techncaity has been taken adj
vantage of in their behalf The only thing
they have to depend upon is pardon.
The attention of the country is now trans
ferred from the courts to the Governor Of
Illinois. The Executive of That State has
suddenly become the subject of great inter-
est. People want to know what kind of
man he is. and whether he is likely to resist
the tremendous pressure that is certain
to be brought TO bear upon him to
pardon the condemned men. He has given
no indication of his probable course. He
has simply said, in answer to questions, that
only one of the many petitions which have
been presented to him for pardon is in the
shape required by law, and that one is signed
by less than dozen persons. 1t seems that
the law points out certain things which
must be observed in petitions, and the fact
that the Governor has called attention TO
them indicates that he will consider only
those petitions to which no legal objection
can be raised.
Gov Oglesbv is what is termed a self
made man. He has the reputation of being
able. honest and fearless. He will doubtless
do his duty as he sees it, and will not place
much dependence upon the advice of those
who seek to enlighten him as to the course
he ought to pursue He is pleasant man
nered and amiable, and leaves the impress
sion upon those who come in contact with
him that he would much rather give pleas
ure than inflict pain. Such men, however,
can be very firm when they think their
duty or their interests requires them to be
50.
The responsibility which rests upon him is
not very great The convcts he is asked to
pardon have had fair trial, and the high
est court in the land has failed to find that
the law has not, in all respects, been COM
piled with No new evidence has been dis
covered and no legal reason can be offered
for pardon that has not already been de-
clared to be insufficient to show that the
condemned men have not had every right
and privilege to which they are entitled
If. therefore, the Governor grants par
don it must be because he desires to show
mercy, or believes that public policy iusti
fies it, But when he considers the cowardly
crime of those seeking clemency he can
hardly have any feeling of mercy, and as
far as public policy is concerned it would
seem as if the public welfare would be
served best by permitting the law to take its
course. A murder committed by Anarchists
with bombs should be punished as promptly
and surely as one committed by midnight
assassin with a stiletto or bludgeon.
The condemned men say that they do not
want a communication OF their sentences to
imprisonment. If they cannot have their
freedom they want to be hanged. They re-
gard themselves as martyrs, and they ex-
pect that if they die on the gallows they
will occupy prominent place in history.
II they can get satisfaction out of that
thought they ought to be permitted to en-
JOY it. The people of this country are
more interested in having Anarchists taught
that they cannot murder the representatives
Of the law with impunity than they are
about the place condemned Anarchists, who
are hanged, will occupy in history.